I enjoyed Scythe, so I expected quite a bit going into the sequel. This book delivered. Like the 2nd book is almost any series, the story expanded theI enjoyed Scythe, so I expected quite a bit going into the sequel. This book delivered. Like the 2nd book is almost any series, the story expanded the world and there were a lot of new characters. Citra and Rowan spend this book in very different places, which serves to make the world even bigger. Citra is making her name as Scythe Anastasia, while Rowan has gone rogue and is cleaning up behind the scythes of the new order. Danger chases the two of them with someone trying to kill Citra and someone else trying to kidnap Rowan. It is a very exciting story that keeps readers on their toes throughout the book. Looking forward to the next book....more

In 1947, Charlie St. Clair an American college student is taken to Europe by her mother to take care of her "little problem" (an unwed pregnancy), butIn 1947, Charlie St. Clair an American college student is taken to Europe by her mother to take care of her "little problem" (an unwed pregnancy), but Charlie has another plan for their trip. Her cousin Rose disappeared in France in 1944. Her search leads her to Eve Gardiner, who may know what happened to Rose. Eve is battling her own demons though, having served as a spy in 1915 France. The two of them make an unusual pair trekking across the French countryside.

I have read all of Kate Quinn's other books, so I was interested to read her newest book and see her take on modern history instead of ancient or Renaissance history. I really enjoyed this, not quite as much as the Mistress of Rome series, but it was a great book in its own right. The dual timeline of the book allows for a great deal of exploration for both World Wars, and gives readers two great heroines and stories. I found Eve's story a bit more compelling than Charlie's, but they were both quite wonderful. The book was paced well, and things were revealed at just the right time. The author's note and bibliography are a great addition to the book. I am looking forward to reading some of the recommended books.

The things that kept me from wanting to give it 5 stars is that some of the coincidences in the story didn't ring believable to me, but overall I really enjoyed the story and didn't want it to end. I highly recommend it to those who enjoy historical fiction and Kate Quinn's books. ...more

I forgot how much I love Laini Taylor and then I picked up this book. Much like her other series, I can't say much about the story without massive spoI forgot how much I love Laini Taylor and then I picked up this book. Much like her other series, I can't say much about the story without massive spoilers, but it is a beautiful story about a girl and a boy, prejudice, and trying to correct the wrongs from previous generations. The story is unique and had many twists and turns (including some big ones at the end -- darn you Ms. Taylor for your cliffhangers). I cannot wait until the next book. This world is hauntingly beautiful, and the author has the wonderful lyrical language to describe it.

The only reason I did not give this book five stars is that it drags quite a bit, especially at the beginning. There's not a lot going on for awhile and the plot just aimlessly drags along. After about the halfway point when the two stories merge and you see where everything is heading, the pace picks up, but its a long journey to get there at times.

If you liked Daughter of Smoke and Bone, I highly highly recommend this book as well. ...more

This book is like a meandering river and it was a fun little journey. Dedicating more than twice as many pages to the Thames as the river has miles (5This book is like a meandering river and it was a fun little journey. Dedicating more than twice as many pages to the Thames as the river has miles (528 pages to 215 miles), the author takes the reader on a historical journey of one of the most important rivers in the world. From the famed cities of London and Oxford to lesser known hamlets along its banks, the author explores the history, folklore, people, and religion surrounding the river. The book covers prehistoric times up to our own age. Each chapter has a theme which is explored in depth. Even though its a huge book, it went by fairly quickly. I would recommend this to those interested in English history. ...more

Its rare for a biography as extensive about someone who has lived a long time to grab the reader's attention and keep it for almost 700 pages (or 21 hIts rare for a biography as extensive about someone who has lived a long time to grab the reader's attention and keep it for almost 700 pages (or 21 hours on audio), but this one definitely kept me interested. Queen Victoria is one of the most well-known historical figures (it helps to have an era named after you), but much of what we "know" about the queen has only come to us after large sanitizing efforts of her diaries and personal papers, usually encouraged by her own children. Julia Baird investigates the myths surrounding the second-longest reigning British monarch, and presents her research in a factual, yet engaging manner.

I have always avoided reading about Queen Victoria because she always seemed so boring, but I thought I would give this book a shot since it was getting pretty good reviews. I am glad I did. Beyond just being a biography of Queen Victoria, it also brings a lot of history and developments of the Victorian era to light. Making use of many primary sources, the author gives a well-rounded view of Victoria's life. The book shows the Queen was a very strong-willed woman, not the mousy wife of Prince Albert that some history would have us remember. The book also gives a look at her relationships with her prime ministers, children, and other monarchs (as well as her friendships with John Brown and Abdul Kareem). It was a fascinating book about a fascinating woman.

I would highly recommend this book if you have an interest in Victoria at all. Its very readable and compelling. Probably one of the best biographies I have read. ...more

Henry Molaison suffered from seizures after a bicycle accident as a child. Eventually the seizures got so bad that he could not work or live a normalHenry Molaison suffered from seizures after a bicycle accident as a child. Eventually the seizures got so bad that he could not work or live a normal life. Desperate for relief, his family approached Dr. William Scoville in hopes that his lobotomy procedure would finally stop the seizures. Unfortunately, the radical procedure did not cure Molaison and he was left unable to form new memories for the rest of his life. This made him a famous research subject called Patient H.M. and over the next 50 years he would be studied by several psychologists, psychiatrists, and neuroscientists. In this book, Dr. Scoville's grandson, Luke Dittrich, tells the story of Molaison the man and the history of brain surgery and mental disorders.

Even though I have a psychology degree, I cannot recall ever learning about Patient H.M. and his memory problems before reading this book. This book was amazing and I found it hard to put it down. The descriptions of the brain surgeries were disturbing, its hard to believe that barely 5 decades ago surgeons thought the best way to cure mental illness was to go into people's brains and just start cutting. Molaison's story is tragic, but his life did serve as a tool to study the memory processes. Dittrich does a great job with not just the science aspect, but goes into a lot of the social history of mental disorders and how people with them were treated. Its a book that has a little bit of everything thrown in, but somehow it works.

Sacajawea is one of the most famous women in American history and one of the few Native American women that history remembers. This novel delves intoSacajawea is one of the most famous women in American history and one of the few Native American women that history remembers. This novel delves into the history and myth that surround this teenage girl that crossed half a continent with a baby strapped to her back.

So before I get to the part where I talk about Sacajawea, I will tell the story of another teenage girl, me circa 2003. I found this book in a used book store and decided I wanted to devour the whole thing. Unfortunately, I discovered that the copy I had bought was missing several chunks of pages which made the book impossible to read. I have spent the last 14 years trying to track down an intact copy that wouldn't cost a fortune to ship. Finally, thanks to Better World Books, I have been able to complete the book.

This book is huge, over 1400 pages and it follows Sacajawea through her entire life, not just the 2 years she spent with Lewis and Clark. The parts of the book where she travels with the expedition are tightly written and paced. There's a lot going on, and the characterizations are solid. Every one comes alive on the page and you feel like you are there. The descriptions of the scenery are also amazing. If the whole book was like the first 500-600 pages, it would have been a 5 star read.

The rest of the book isn't terrible, and I did enjoy reading about Sacajawea's early life and her time in St. Louis after the expedition, but around page 800 or so, the book goes a bit off the rails. The author bases a lot of that part of the book on the oral traditions of the Comanche and Shoshoni tribes who have legends that Sacajawea lived a long life among the tribes after leaving her husband and family. The book was very inconsistent at that point. Sacajawea did a lot of things that didn't fit in with her character in the first part of the book. The pacing was also a little all over the place with some days going on for dozens of pages and then 20 years passing within one page. By the end of the book, I was just ready to be done.

I do appreciate the amount of research that the author did on Sacajawea's life (not every novel has 100 pages worth of notes and bibliography at the end), but at the end of the day it just doesn't make for a great novel. It seemed like the author wanted to take everything that had ever been said about Sacajawea and shove it into a narrative, and that just didn't work. Again, the writing is beautiful, but the book definitely needed some more editing.

I would recommend this to people who are very interested in the Sacajawea story and willing to slog through some boredom to get all the facts. ...more

I picked this book up because I enjoyed Stephanie Dray's Cleopatra's Daughter series and was interested to see how she wrote about more modern historyI picked this book up because I enjoyed Stephanie Dray's Cleopatra's Daughter series and was interested to see how she wrote about more modern history. I knew quite a bit about Thomas Jefferson before going into the book, but not a whole lot about his daughter, Martha, beyond knowing that she served as his First Lady while he was president.

The story follows Martha from her childhood during the American Revolution to her adolescence spent in France while her father was serving as the ambassador through her father's presidency and ends after Jefferson's death. Because it covers such a long time period, it did feel slow at some points. The authors did a good job making Martha sound her age though at every point (which is why some reviewers who only made it through the first part of the book thought it sounded too much like YA or a children's book). The book is a novel and much artistic license is taken where the history is a bit vague, but that was well explained in the authors' note at the end. There is a lot of real history to be had, and some of it was quite scandalous (some scandals I was expecting and knew about, but others were a surprise to me).

Overall, I liked the book and found the history to be interesting, but there were a couple of slow spots. I would recommend this book to those who enjoy biographical fiction and learning more about the women of the past. ...more

Proceed with caution if you have not read up to Issue #96 or are not up to date on the show. There may be spoilers.

In this compendium, the gang has juProceed with caution if you have not read up to Issue #96 or are not up to date on the show. There may be spoilers.

In this compendium, the gang has just discovered the Hilltop community and is getting ready to set up trade, but Negan and a group called the Saviors are going to upset this start to civilization. Will the group survive intact?

I had read some of these comics before, but had lost track after #120, so it was good to catch up and see how the story proceeded. For me, its nicer to read the compendiums that individual issues or volumes because I can get a feel for the overall story better. There are definitely some great story lines, although there is a bit of drag around the middle of this compendium. The last few issues were amazing though and I am definitely looking forward to see what elements of these make it into the show.

If you are a Walking Dead fan, I do recommend reading the comics, especially during the off season. There are many similarities between the comic and show, but also quite a few differences that keeps the story fresh and entertaining.

In 1842, two young cadets meet at West Point. Orry Main is the son of a plantation owner in South Ca"Like some help loading that aboard, young sir?"

In 1842, two young cadets meet at West Point. Orry Main is the son of a plantation owner in South Carolina. George Hazard is the son of a iron baron in Pennsylvania. They strike up an unlikely friendship, a friendship that joins their two families. But the two decades leading up to the American Civil War puts that friendship to the test. Can it survive the coming of war that is tearing apart their country?

I first read this book 13 years ago as a high school freshman. The story of the two families has stuck with me for over a decade. I was hesitant to pick it up again as I felt it wouldn't be as good the second time around (or as good to a more mature and well read Christie), but I should not have worried. The book is as good now as it was then.

I've read many historical fiction books set during the Civil War period before and since reading this book the first time, but Jakes' work is hands-down the best I have read. The story does a great job balancing the good and the bad of both sides. Showing that there were many Southerners who were against slavery and the war, as well as many Northerners who couldn't care less about the plight of the slaves. It also does a great job showing the other issues that played a role in the coming of war beyond the slave issue. It is also one of the few books that shows the tensions were building long before South Carolina seceded from the Union.

But beyond all that is a great family saga with compelling characters that stick with you long after you finish the last page. The humanity and relatibility of the characters is something that is rarely found in works of fiction. Yes, the villains of the story are pretty villainish with very few redeeming qualities to be found, but the majority of the characters are well-rounded and great to read about.

I highly, highly recommend this book (and the entire series) to those who enjoy family sagas, historical fiction, and well-written characters. Also, if you are interested at all in the causes of the Civil War this book is incredibly well-researched and well-balanced between both sides. Its just a great read.

2016 Popsugar challenge: Read a book you haven't read since high school...more

No spoilers for Winter, but proceed with caution if you have not read the previous 3 books in the series.

Winter's toes had become ice cubes.

PickingNo spoilers for Winter, but proceed with caution if you have not read the previous 3 books in the series.

Winter's toes had become ice cubes.

Picking up right after the events of Cress, this story finds our heroes and heroines heading to Luna to rescue Scarlet from Queen Levana and to stage a rebellion against the Lunar Queen. There is plenty of danger, romance, and action to be had in this 800+ page conclusion to the Lunar Chronicles.

I have really enjoyed this series and the last book was everything I hoped it would be. It kept me on the edge of my seat and I could not wait to see what happened next. There is quite a lot of heartbreak to be had, but I am extremely happy with the ending. Although this book is titled for Winter, every character gets plenty of page time and takes part in the action. I was hoping for more from Levana's perspective, especially following Fairest, but I understand that the over 800 pages needed to be focused on Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, Winter, and their loves so I am not going to complain.

If you liked this series, you will not be disappointed at the ending. I only hope that there will be other books set in this world!...more

After my eleventh winterI was kidnapped by our enemiesand made to be their slave.

Lewis and Clark's expedition across the American West is a story ofAfter my eleventh winterI was kidnapped by our enemiesand made to be their slave.

Lewis and Clark's expedition across the American West is a story of adventure and danger. In his powerful verse, Allan Wolf, bring to life the men (and woman and dog) that made this harrowing journey across the wild frontier. Told from the perspectives of several party members and using letters and journal entries from Lewis and Clark themselves, the book illustrates how people from all walks of life came together to make the trip all the way to the Pacific Ocean.

I knew a bit about Lewis and Clark's voyage from history books and various books I have read about Sacagawea, but I was never very clear on all of the details. In this book, Wolf has created a very readable story full of historical fact. The various perspectives he chose to use in the book gave the story a diverse flavor. I like that real letters and journal entries were interspersed throughout the book. Much like Wolf's The Watch That Ends the Night, there is a very detailed author's note at the back that gives information about what happened to all of the historical characters after the voyage and provides tons of further reading.

The only frustration is that sometimes you did not hear from certain party members for a very long time and it stayed with Lewis, Clark, and the dog for much longer than necessary. I also found the pacing to be a bit off from time to time.

I recommend this to anyone who read and enjoyed The Watch That Ends the Night or those interested in Lewis and Clark. If you enjoy novels written in verse, you will probably enjoy this as well.

The end of The Queen of the Tearling found Queen Kelsea Raleigh Glynn breaking the treaty with the Mortmense over the shipping of slaves. In The Invasion of the Tearling, Kelsea is preparing for war and siege at the hands of the Red Queen. During the preparations, Kelsea finds herself developing a strange connection to the pre-Crossing days and a woman named Lily. What Kelsea learns from Lily may unlock the secrets of the past and help save the future, if Kelsea can resist the temptation of her inner darkness.

I loved The Queen of the Tearling and was excited when this book was released. I found the book a bit of a disappointment after the first one for a few reasons. First of all, the first book had such a body positive message and a heroine that was not beautiful. In this one, a plot device has Kelsea's outward appearance and, in turn, the way people react to her changing which I found very frustrating and not at all important to the story. Another issue I had was that while I loved Lily's story, I found that it was very distracting to what was going on in the Tearling. Lily's story seemed to take over the narrative for large swathes of time and then when I went back to Kelsea's story I had a hard time reorienting myself to the present. My third issue is that while I love that Johansen attacks our present-day controversies head on in the books, at some point it just feels like it is way too much. Every topic doesn't need to be shoved into a 500 page book.

All that being said, I did like this book overall. The pre-Crossing world was fascinating and I really liked learning more about where everyone came from and how the Crossing happened. I hope to learn more about the pre-Crossing characters in future installments. Other than the appearance-changing thing, I also liked seeing Kelsea wrestle with the darker side of power in this book. It gave her character more depth and brought out some interesting story lines. I also liked getting to see more of what was going on in the Arvath. The religious facets to both Lily and Kelsea's stories are highly believable and I enjoy how Johansen works them into the story.

If you read The Queen of the Tearling and liked it, I recommend you pick up this book. Yes, there are a few annoyances that I detailed above, but for the most part it is a great continuation of Kelsea's story and I cannot wait for the next one. ...more

Roland Mitchell spends an afternoon in the British Library looking at miscellany left to the librThe book was thick and black and covered with dust.

Roland Mitchell spends an afternoon in the British Library looking at miscellany left to the library from his favorite poet. When he finds two unsent letters to an unknown woman that reveal a romance between two Victorian poets that was previously unknown. His discovery will turn the academic world on its head and may lead to a romance of his own.

I had a library patron recommend this book to me when I told him I enjoyed historical fiction. This was not exactly my cup of tea. The book is very long and in bad need of editing. The descriptions are long-winded and the prose is a bit overblown, especially the letters between the two poets. I did like reading about the investigation and that the book was a mixture of story, letters, poetry, and diary. I just felt like all of that could have been mixed together in a more cohesive and tighter story.

If you like poetry, academia, and history; and don't mind a bit of long-windedness and wool-gathering. ...more

Sabina is the Empress of Rome but this does not keep her safe. She tries to keep the peace between her husband, Hadrian, and her former lover, Vix. Things come to a head when Vix's son, Antinous catches the eye of Hadrian. Meanwhile, Sabina harbors a secret that could destroy both her and Vix's lives.

I did not realize how much I missed Vix and Sabina until I started reading this book and was sucked back into the world of Ancient Rome. I had wanted to re-read the first 3 books before reading this one. I did not get to them but it was like I never left. I loved the mixture of old and new characters and the historical backdrop. It makes me so sad that it seems this is the last book in the series (say it ain't so!).

What I really like about this series is that the characters are flawed and real. There are mistakes they make and things you really don't want to happen (view spoiler)[like Vix's and Mirah's relationship falling apart (hide spoiler)] but at the end of the day that makes the story so much more emotionally raw and real. Kate Quinn does such a great job with bringing these characters to life and using the historical record to make a relatable and highly readable story.

I highly recommend this series to those who enjoy historical fiction and romance. It is one of the best examples of fiction set in Ancient Rome. Quinn does her research and brings history to life in a way that very few authors can.

The Great War had brought Paul Lewis into the navy in 1918 as a lieutenant commander, but he never seemed quite at ease in his uniform.

In 1918, in tThe Great War had brought Paul Lewis into the navy in 1918 as a lieutenant commander, but he never seemed quite at ease in his uniform.

In 1918, in the midst of World War, the deadliest pandemic to ever strike the world began in an army camp in Kansas. For the next two years, it would kill almost 100 million people. Scientists across the world tried to discover the cause of the virus using the cutting edge techniques of the day. Barry recounts not only the toll of the plague, but the stories of the scientists who fought back.

I learned quite a bit from this book and I found the personal stories to be especially interesting, as well as the description of the devastation caused by the influenza outbreak. The science of the day was especially interesting. This happened during the heyday of laboratory science, bacteriology, and the very beginnings of virology, but the study of medicine was still not standardized and many people still had superstitions about how illnesses were caused and spread. It was not an easy time for scientists.

The book did drag a bit. The author takes a lot of time to set up the medical situation of the day. In fact its not until over 100 pages in that the 1918 epidemic is even mentioned. I appreciate that it is important to understand where we were medically and scientifically at the time, but if I wanted to read the entire medical history of the late 19th and early 20th century I would have picked up another book.

If you are interested in learning more about the influenza epidemic of 1918 this is a good read, but just be warned that there is a lot of set-up before getting into the meat of the story. ...more

Elizabeth I is one of history's most famous female rulers. She reigned over England for nearly 45 years, she wasHe will make a good death, they say.

Elizabeth I is one of history's most famous female rulers. She reigned over England for nearly 45 years, she was the child of the infamous Anne Boleyn, and she lives on as the "Virgin Queen." Beginning life as a disappointment to her father who wanted a son, she ended up being the most successful Tudor ruler. In this epic novel, Rosalind Miles tells Elizabeth's story through Elizabeth's eyes.

I highly enjoyed this take on Elizabeth I, so many novels show her as a weak woman being batted around by circumstance or as the perfect Protestant lady than as the powerful and ambitious woman she probably was. We know a lot about Elizabeth I, thanks to the many contemporaneous accounts of her, and Miles does a good job of showing the vain, fun-loving, and tempestuous queen. I was glad too that this book covers nearly the entirety of Elizabeth's life. Sixty-nine years is a long time to cover in a novel and it is no wonder that most novelists shy away from it, but Miles takes it on beautifully. It kept me turning pages, and I was glad that some of the less well-known stories of Elizabeth's life were included as well.

My only complaint about the book was Elizabeth's relationships with her favorites. I feel like there could have been a bit more development there. As it was, it felt like those parts were a bit forced in, and I would like to have had more exploration of the attraction Elizabeth felt towards these men.

I highly recommend this book to those who enjoy reading royal history, particularly about the Tudors. It is definitely a fresh perspective on Elizabeth I and I found it to be a highly enjoyable and factual read. ...more

In a world where the government is imposing strict regulations on businesses,"Who is John Galt?"

There may be spoilers ahead, I apologize in advance.

In a world where the government is imposing strict regulations on businesses, businessmen are disappearing left and right and vital industries are failing all over the nation. Dagny Taggart, a young woman running a railroad is determined to fight the regulations and not become the next casualty of the government.

So the first 2/3 of this book were pretty awesome. Dagny was an awesome character who didn't let anyone stand in her way. I did not realize that the book would contain such a strong female character. Yes the political stance of the book got a bit on my nerves (let me just insert here that there are important things that both socialism and capitalism can bring to the table--it does not have to be an either/or thing people), but I was completely invested in Dagny's story and her struggles to keep her railroad afloat.

The last third of the book is the reason for the 2 star rating. After 50+ pages of a rant about how government regulation is killing everything and that is why all the sane people have left until such a time as government regulation is gone, I decided I was done.I skipped the majority of that section, hoping that things would get better, but the ending was awful. It just kept drilling in over and over that anybody who favors any sort of regulation or social program is horrible and lazy and deserves to die. I understand the book is a product of its time, when the Cold War was getting started and people were scared to death of the communists, but it got to be a bit much there at the end. Everything was all or nothing and there was no possible compromise.

If you can look past the politics in the first part of the book, it is actually a fascinating story of a woman trying to make it in a man's world. Unfortunately that story is forgotten in the last part of the book where Ms. Rand just wants to ram her point home.

It got to be a bit much for me. I am glad I finally finished this book though so I can now donate it to serve a good cause like supporting the library or some other social program. ...more

When in April the sweet showers fallAnd pierce the drought of March to the root, and allThe veins are bathed in liquor of such powerAs bring about thWhen in April the sweet showers fallAnd pierce the drought of March to the root, and allThe veins are bathed in liquor of such powerAs bring about the engendering of the flower

Pilgrims on the road to Canterbury share tales of love, death, damnation and humor in the hopes that their tale will win the contest set by the host of the inn they embark from.

I knew very little about The Canterbury Tales, other than the fact I attempted to read them when I was 15 and did not get very far reading the original. This time I opted for the translation since I was just reading it for fun and I enjoyed it much more than I expected. I did not realize how naughty a lot of the poems were and it was interesting realizing how little has actually changed in what humans find entertaining.

Like much classic reading, this book did drag in spots and was somewhat long-winded, but that comes with the territory. I also had a bit of a problem with the translation just summing up some of the prose parts instead of having them there in their entirety. Someday maybe I will get hold of the original on Project Gutenberg and figure out if there was anything I missed.

I recommend this book if you like humorous reading and are looking for a classic that fits the bill. The translation is great if you don't want to slog through the Middle English original, but do be ware that some of the prose portions are just summarized. The notes at the end were extremely helpful to the modern reader.

Beatrix Potter is well-known as the author and artist of The Tale Of Peter Rabbit and creator of many otherIt was a cold, wet November day in 1918.

Beatrix Potter is well-known as the author and artist of The Tale Of Peter Rabbit and creator of many other beloved characters such as Jemima Puddle-duck and Benjamin Bunny. But she was also a woman of business acumen. She was a budding naturalist who fought to preserve the Lake District of England for future generations. In this book, Linda Lear explores all facets of Beatrix Potter's life and work.

The only things I knew about Beatrix Potter before reading this book is that she wrote children's books and had an ill-fated romance with her publisher (thanks to the movie Miss Potter). Learning about her interest in science during a time when women were definitely not encouraged to pursue scientific studies was fascinating. Lear's book definitely gives a much bigger picture of what Beatrix Potter achieved beyond her well-loved stories. The book is a bit long and repetitive from time to time.

I would recommend this book to those wanting to know a great deal more about Beatrix Potter and her life. It is a long book, but worth a read to learn more about this amazing woman. ...more

In 1965, a century after Appomattox, the Civil War began for me at a musty apartment in New Haven, Connecticut.

Interested in the Civil War since beiIn 1965, a century after Appomattox, the Civil War began for me at a musty apartment in New Haven, Connecticut.

Interested in the Civil War since being shown a book of wartime photographs by his great-grandfather, Tony Horwitz embarks on a tour of the South to investigate the hold the war still has over people and how it continue to affect the lives of those in the South.

I felt that this was a timely read, especially considering all the controversy surrounding the Confederate flag recently (which, as this book shows, is not the first time the controversy has sprung up). I was a little concerned being from the South that this book would either glorify Southern heritage or that it would make us all seem like rednecks who can't let go of the past. Horwitz does a great job taking a middle ground and showing all types of Southerners (whites and African-Americans, conservatives and liberals) and telling the history of the South not just during the Civil War, but what happened afterward and why the South is like it is. I would really enjoy an updated edition (this was published in 1999) giving updates on all that has happened in the last 20 years.

If you live in the South or have an interest in Southern history, I highly recommend this book. It gives a very balanced look on the South and its history. It is not an apologia for the Confederacy at all, but rather a report on the modern-day South and its fascination with the Civil War. ...more

While exploring her father's library, a young woman finds an envelope filled withThe story that follows is one I never intended to commit to paper.

While exploring her father's library, a young woman finds an envelope filled with letters and an ancient book all pertaining to Vlad Dracula. This discovery leads to a labyrinth of secrets and the hunt for an inconceivable evil.

I picked this book up because many of my friends have read an enjoyed it. I liked it as well. The search for Dracula through libraries all over the world made my little librarian heart giddy. The suspense kept me on the edge of my seat and the story was easy to lose myself in. At times the book did drag and there were quite a few coincidences that did little for the story. The narrator's lack of a name was also annoying, but overall the book was a great adventure story that left me wanting more.

If you have enjoyed books such as A Discovery of Witches or Possession, this is definitely the book for you. Also, if you just like to lose yourself in huge stories with many different narratives running through I would recommend this to you. If you like books that are fast-paced with lots of action, maybe you should look elsewhere. ...more

In a town house at a fashionable address on Manhattan's Upper East Side, every lamp blazes.

Evie is a 1920s party girl, who is sent away from her OhiIn a town house at a fashionable address on Manhattan's Upper East Side, every lamp blazes.

Evie is a 1920s party girl, who is sent away from her Ohio hometown to live with her uncle in New York after a party trick goes wrong. She is so excited to explore the city and its speakeasies and parties. But there is evil lurking in the city. As soon as Evie arrives bodies start piling up. Will she and her uncle be able to solve the mystery in time? And what is the secret to Evie's unique and new powers?

I picked this book up because I loved Libba Bray's Gemma Doyle series and was hoping to find something else by the author that I would enjoy as well. Though I didn't enjoy this one quite as much as the first Gemma Doyle book, I did find it to be a fun and wild ride through the streets of 1920s Manhattan. Evie and her friends are exciting and fresh characters and I will be looking forward to reading more about their emerging powers in the next installment. The book does read at times like a very long prologue for the series, but overall the pacing is good and the mystery behind the killings is solved at the end, though many mysteries remain. I like how the author took historical events and wound them into the story as well. Historical fantasy is quickly becoming one of my favorite genres.

If you are looking for something a little scary and creepy, something that will hold your attention, and something that is a whole lot of fun to read, look no further than this book....more

Ten months afteNo spoilers for Ashen Winter, but proceed with caution if you have not read Ashfall

Ten months had passed since I'd last seen the sun.

Ten months after the Yellowstone eruption, Alex and Darla are settling into a routine at Alex's uncle's farm. The continued absence of Alex's parents is worrisome and Alex and Darla decide to retrace their journey to Iowa to find Alex's parents. In the months they have been on the farm, the world has become even more dangerous and they will have to deal with both natural and man-made dangers as they trek across the Midwest.

I really liked the first book in the series because of the pacing and the research the author put into what would happen if the volcano under Yellowstone exploded. I enjoyed this one as well, though not as much. The book has some pacing issues and seems to repeat itself a lot. The action is not there the way it was in the first book and a lot of the book reads as filler to get between book 1 and 3 in the series.

That being said, I did like how this book addressed the concept of survival and what people do just to survive. There are several new characters that are introduced that bring a lot to the story. I look forward to seeing them in the next book as well. There are some pretty rough groups that Darla and Alex have to deal with in this book and there are some tough choices that Alex has to make. As always, the climate change caused by the volcano was fascinating to read about and the author's note at the end gives more information on what would happen after the volcano.

I would recommend this book to older teens and adults looking for an adventure novel, especially those looking for a book with a male lead. There are some controversial topics covered in the book, especially dealing with sex trafficking and rape, so it is definitely best for mature readers.

Read Harder Challenge: Read a book by an author whose gender is different from your own...more

Nerve thrum and screaming blood, wild and churning and chasing and devouring and terrible and terrible and terrible--

The seraphs have invaded Earth and Karou and her chimera army are gearing up for the battle of their lives, if they can ally with Akiva's bastard army. Will both worlds be torn apart or will Madrigal/Karou's and Akiva's long-ago dream finally come true?

OMG this book. This book was amazing, though I don't think I enjoyed it quite as much as the first two. The book seemed to wrap up everything pretty well, only to introduce a new problem at the 11th hour. That being said, I loved the writing, I loved the story, and I cheered at the end. This entire series is so beautiful and I have loved every minute I have spent in the world. If you love well-written books, original stories, and amazing worlds, I highly, highly recommend this series. ...more

This is the story of Una Spenser's life from her early childhood in Kentucky to her life withCaptain Ahab was neither my first husband nor my last.

This is the story of Una Spenser's life from her early childhood in Kentucky to her life with relatives on a remote lighthouse island. At 16, she runs away disguised as a boy to sail on a whaling ship. What follows is a story of romance, danger, and madness. Based on a passage from Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, Naslund creates a life for the woman who was Ahab's wife.

Let me preface this review by saying I have yet to finish Moby Dick, so I am sure there are quite a few things that might have gone over my head. I did like the book though. It was very atmospheric and quite the adventure story. The author did a great job making the whaling ships of the 1800s come alive. Una was allowed to grow through the story but was never became unrecognizable over the years of the story. I was excited to revisit Nantucket after reading The Movement of Stars (and meeting the real woman who inspired that book). I love that the book was populated by so many real characters (although I did start getting a Forrest Gump feel from it after a while).

What irritated me most about the book is that I don't know what the point was. It's entitled Ahab's Wife but the part about Ahab is only like 1/4 of the book. The book jumped around a lot and had a lot going on and then just sort of ended. It was hard to really nail down a single theme that stuck out and it seemed very disjointed at parts. Some of this could have been solved by editing I believe as there was a great deal that seemed extraneous.

I would recommend this to those who like long, epic fiction to get lost in. If you like Margaret George, this has a lot in common with her books except that the protagonist is completely fictional.

Reading Outside the Box Challenge: Chunkster-time! – read a book that is longer 500 pages....more

Marriage is a word that tastes like metal - the steel of armor, the gold of commerce, the iron bite of blood and prison bars.

Mary Howard is forced iMarriage is a word that tastes like metal - the steel of armor, the gold of commerce, the iron bite of blood and prison bars.

Mary Howard is forced into marriage at the age of 14 to Henry FitzRoy, the illegitimate son of King Henry VIII. She soon finds herself at the center of the Tudor court and all its intrigues. Mary begins to fall in love with her husband, but is forbidden from seeing him alone. In a world where not following the king's orders means certain death, can Mary find happiness and still keep her head?

I picked this book up because I liked Gilt and wanted to know more about Mary Howard. Overall, I felt this one had a bit more historical accuracy and I liked that the book was told from Mary's perspective and not from a secondary character like Gilt was (although it is understandable considering who the historical character in Gilt was). I also like that this book was about a lesser known figure in the Tudor world, who had a much different perspective on things than others who books are written about.

I did have some minor annoyances with the books. Mary's anxiety and synesthesia are mentioned in passing, but really have no actual bearing on the story whatsoever. If you are going to make the character have certain characteristics that you are going to constantly mention, at least let it have some bearing on the story as a whole. Thankfully, the rest of the story was good enough that I could live with it.

I recommend this to those interested in the Tudor era, especially wanting to know more about lesser-known figures. It is highly readable and well-paced and the authors note includes a lot of detail about the real Mary Howard that made me want to find out more about her. ...more

For the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who, eleven well-known science fiction and fantasy authorsThe Doctor was not happy with his new bio-hybrid hand.

For the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who, eleven well-known science fiction and fantasy authors write stories about the eleven incarnations of the mysterious Time Lord.

So full disclosure, I have only watched the last 3 Doctors, so I don't know anything about the classic Who and cannot speak to how well the stories represented the older incarnations. I did find the last 3 stories to be very representative of the Doctors I know and the other stories made me very interested in catching up on the classic Who.

I liked the collection as a whole, but wasn't blown away by it. I really liked stories 3, 5, 7, 9, 10, and 11, but the others were a bit slow and hard to get into. I liked that some stories were written from the Doctor's perspective, some from various companions, and some from other characters. It was an enjoyable way to spend a few days, but again nothing earth shattering. It made me very excited for the next series.

I recommend this to Who fans. It is a good collection of stories to get you through the long hiatuses between series.

Reading Outside the Box Challenge: Almost Human read a book from the perspective of an animal – or an alien – or a robot! (at least feature an ‘almost human’)Paranormal scavenger hunt: SidheScavenger hunt: diary/journal ...more

There is no substance which is not a poison; all are poisonous. Only the dose determines. - Philippus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim (There is no substance which is not a poison; all are poisonous. Only the dose determines. - Philippus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim (Paracelsus), 1493-1541

It is a beautiful night when the Princess Sophia of Skyggehavn marries an heir to the Swedish throne, but undercurrents of darkness plague the court of Skyggehavn. A mysterious illness is killing off the heirs to the throne. Intrigue lurks in every corner and lowly seamstress, Ava Bingen, and nursemaid, Midi Sorte, are about to find themselves dragged into the dangerous world of spies and secrets and will change the course of history along the way.

I read a review of this book in Publisher's Weekly where it was described as a fairy tale about syphilis. I had no idea what that meant but decided the book sounded awesome anyway so I would give it a shot. Its not a fairy tale in the modern sense of the world, but more in the original Grimm sense of the word. The story is dark and gritty with very few happily ever afters or even much in the way of romance, but highly readable and action packed. Though the kingdom of Skyggehavn is completely fictitious, the social and political issues included in the story (the Protestant Reformation, the outbreak of syphilis across Europe, the fight between superstition and science) are all things that real kingdoms at the time were struggling with. The author did a great job using this real-life issues and weaving them into a compelling story with a great author's note in the back giving the real history.

The court is great setting for this story and allows for a great amount of action. There is mystery, sexual liaisons, murder, theft, and of course plenty of balls, parties, and beautiful gowns. The hijinks are great and near the end of the story I was laughing out loud at one particular hijink. The story is split about equally between the royals and the servants (referred to as "aprons"). It shows that it is not only the rich and powerful that can make things happen.

I highly recommend this book to fans of royal fiction or any type of story that involves a great deal of intrigue and drama. A word of warning though. The book is extremely sexual in nature (as is to be expected with a book that deals a great deal with a venereal disease), so the maturity of the reader should be taken into account. It is a highly entertaining book and I read all 500+ pages over the course of a couple of days. ...more